It’s official! The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will go toe-to-toe within the NBA Finals. Boston is again on the world’s greatest stage for the second time in three years. They enter the sequence because the extra skilled group at this degree. They’re additionally (arguably) the extra gifted group and can doubtless be the clear favorites to boost their first banner since 2008.
As with every playoff sequence, we’ll all have some questions heading into Sport 1. Matchups are at all times fluid. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has proven a willingness to be experimental all through video games and the lifespan of a sequence. If I needed to hazard a guess, I’d anticipate the opening matchups to be one thing like:
Doncic – Brown
Irving – Vacation
Jones Jr. – White
Washington – Tatum
Gafford – Porzingis
My pondering is that Jaylen Brown will need the duty of guarding Luka Doncic to start the sequence. He’s been vocal about guarding the opposing group’s finest participant and has confirmed himself to be an elite on-ball defender. Brown has the athleticism, dimension and bodily energy to hold with Doncic over screens or in area. Brown additionally has sufficient physique management to attempt to maintain tempo with Doncic when he decels across the rim or off drives.
Having Jayson Tatum on P.J. Washington permits him to change when wanted or rotate over as a helper — if the Celtics resolve to stay with that system in gentle of Dallas’ risk from the corners.
I’ve Kristaps Porzingis beginning on Daniel Gafford, however I’ve some questions there…
Will Porzingis begin or come off the bench?
Porzingis has missed over a month of basketball. Judging by the obtainable reporting and his personal feedback, we’re more likely to see him again within the rotation for the NBA Finals. Nevertheless, there’s an opportunity he might want to work himself again into sport form. As such, will probably be attention-grabbing to see whether or not Porzingis assumes a bench function to start the sequence or whether or not he’s thrust again into the beginning unit however has his minutes carefully monitored.
If Porzingis begins, I’d anticipate him to proceed in his drop protection, together with his major matchup being Gafford. The Celtics will doubtless attempt to maintain Porzingis out of any up-to-touch protection to start the sequence till they’re assured his physique can deal with the extra motion and physicality.
Will the Celtics look to hunt Kyrie on mismatches?
Mazzulla has had the Celtics looking mismatches all through the postseason. A giant a part of their dominance has been the power to lean into their dimension, ability and ball-handling to use weaker defenders. Tyler Herro was the goal within the Miami Warmth sequence. Tyrese Haliburton was the goal within the NBA Finals. And the Celtics, by way of some mismatch seems at Darius Garland within the convention semis.
Kyrie is sensible because the mismatch goal within the NBA Finals. His dimension makes him vulnerable, particularly if being pressured to protect Tatum, Brown or Porzingis.
Can the Celtics end the mission?
We now have to ask this query, proper? Boston is again within the NBA Finals. They’re not the inexperienced group coming into this matchup; that may be Dallas. The Celtics have the expertise and the expertise. In addition they come into this sequence as heavy favorites. I’m hopeful that they are going to be lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy on the finish of this sequence to cap an superior postseason run. Nonetheless, the query needs to be requested. Even when all of us imagine we all know the reply.
CelticsBlog graciously allowed this text to be cross-posted from my “Celtics Chronicle” e-newsletter.
